Bengal budget bets big on infra with deep sea port, freight corridors, Ro-Ro terminals

Kolkata: The newly elected BJP govt’s first Bengal budget, tabled by state finance minister Swapan Dasgupta, placed strong emphasis on infrastructure, with proposals spanning a deep sea port, minor ports, freight corridors, bridges and Ro-Ro services.Citing the low draft constraints at the existing Haldia and Kolkata ports, Dasgupta announced plans for a deep sea port at Dadanpatrabarh in East Midnapore through the PPP model. The port will have an integrated port estate for cargo handling, storage and ancillary industries with rail connectivity, he said.On minor ports, Dasgupta said Bengal had the potential to develop several, including Kulpi, which he said play an important role in cargo and passenger transport and support regional trade.

Rs 100 crore has been allotted to improve minor port infrastructure, alongside a proposal to set up a maritime board.The budget also commits to resolving bottlenecks — including land acquisition — for the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor linking Dankuni with Ludhiana, alongside a multimodal logistics hub at Dankuni.A 35-km road corridor between Dankuni Junction and Mogra in Hooghly has been proposed at a cost of Rs 1,850 crore.

To improve connectivity to Sagar Island, a bridge over the Muriganga river has been allotted Rs 100 crore.The budget also proposes Ro-Ro terminals along the Shalimar-Garden Reach stretch, which it said “will reduce traffic pressures on Vidyasagar Setu and arterial roads in both Kolkata and Howrah.”Industry leaders welcomed the infrastructure push. RPSG chairman Sanjiv Goenka called the budget “absolutely brilliant and transformational,” saying it “lays down the foundation for infrastructure development and industrialisation in an inclusive manner.”Prasoon Mukherjee, chairman of Singapore-based Universal Success, which has proposed a logistics park investment in the state, said the infrastructure push “would be a game changer.”Patton MD Sanjay Budhia said the deep sea port, freight corridors, logistics hubs and industrial parks were “long awaited and much needed steps in the right direction.”